29 June 2012

The Heat is On!

It's a hot one here in St. Louis. As I write this, the temperature is 102 degrees F (39 degrees C), one degree shy of the expected high temperature today. It reached 106 F (41 C) yesterday--a local record for this date-- and the forecast calls for highs of 104 F (40 C) tomorrow (Saturday, 30 June) and Sunday (1 July). Stay inside as much as you can. I know I will.

Last weekend was rather quiet, with not much going on. Monday night (25 June), I was at Webster University's Sunnen Lounge (in the University Center) for a program presented by the Society of Professional Journalists. It was titled "Access Across America" and was presented by Dr. Joey Senat, a media law professor at Oklahoma State University. He spoke about how reporters can press local, state and federal government agencies for open records, in order to hold agencies and individuals accountable. Dr. Senat's talk went into the resources that reporters can access and ways to obtain these records. The presentation also showed how individual citizens can use these same methods to press for government transparency. A rather interesting presentation, I think.

The monthly IPMS/Gateway business meeting was Tuesday night (26 June) at Doug Barton's house in Foristell, Missouri. The board (myself included) planned next month's meetings, and discussed some other club business. Wednesday night (27 June) found me at Scott Sifton's campaign office in Affton for a three-hour phone bank shift. I had some problems early with a computer glitch (I ended up restarting the computer and program) and much indifference among the voters I called, but overall it was well. I also meet Sifton before I left for the night, and he thanked me for helping on his campaign. I wished Sifton best of success.

Last night, I was in Clayton for a special meeting of the Missouri Aviation Historical Society (MAHS). Instead of the normal monthly meeting, this was a meeting of the Lambert St. Louis Airport History Project (LAHP). This is an effort by MAHS members to put together a popular history of the airport by Lambert's centennial in 2020. I'm planning to help some colleagues in researching and writing on some areas of the airport's history, and to coordinate models and miniatures of Lambert and aircraft associated with the airport over the years. Should be interesting.

I wish I had better news on the job search, but I don't. I did leave follow up messaged with two organizations I applied to recently. Waiting to hear back on those.

Dad's slowly getting better, with his regaining strength and dealing with his neuropathy. My one knee's getting better (I think it was a slight pulled meniscus) and I should be able to resume full running next week.

A head's up: The new season of Writer's Block from Naturally Autistic Radio airs next Saturday, 7 July, at 12 pm Central Time (10 am Pacific Time; 1700 GMT). This is the hour-long program on writing and editing from the autistic perspective. I hope you and yours can tune in. More on this show at www.naturallyautistic.com/radio-show. The show is streamed on Blog Talk Radio. You can sign up for free there at www.blogtalkradio.com.

I hope my fellow Americans have a happy and safe Independence Day on Wednesday, 4 July. Later.